The Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders announced a partnership on Wednesday with the Mizzou Arena to train employees of the arena on how to interact with families with individuals on the Autism Spectrum.

A new project is underway to help better prepare physicians who work with patients with Autism. The ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Autism project plans to deliver specialized training to Missouri physicians and primary caretakers who work with patients with Autism here in Missouri. MU’s Thompson Center for Autism created the program with the help of the Missouri Telehealth Network.

The MU Thompson Center for Autism is one of the nation's leading autism centers, combining treatment, training and research. Starting in September, the center will have a new director. I spoke with Stephen Kanne about the challenges and opportunities ahead for autism research, treatment and accessibility of treatment.

According to the latest estimate from the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 88 children in the United States has autism, almost double the rate ten years ago. In this week's Health & Wealth update, while more children are being diagnosed with the disorder, more parents are getting the help they need to treat it.